


We'll Hold Each Other Soon

by ventusphoenix



Series: Deep Dive AU [2]
Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: AI!Mikleo, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Internet Diver!Sorey, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-04
Updated: 2017-11-19
Packaged: 2018-10-14 18:00:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10541643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ventusphoenix/pseuds/ventusphoenix
Summary: One has been scouring the ‘net in search of his lost friend, beginning to lose hope with each failed attempt; one has been wandering the ‘net in search of a place to call home, waiting in vain for something - or is it someone? - they can’t quite place.When the two meet, the hint of a spark begins to bloom.Collection of side-stories set in a Tales of Zestiria sci-fi AU setting.





	1. Goodnight, Sweet Dreams

**Author's Note:**

> This entire collection is going to be so self-indulgent. I apologise in advance.
> 
> Hello, and thanks for checking this work out! This will be a compilation of side-stories set within Deep Dive AU, but they don't necessarily need to be read to understand the main story. For the most part, the writing in this collection will contain scenes that I've wanted to write but couldn't find a place for in the main story.
> 
> There's no flow here, so you might find the timeline jumps around quite a bit. For anything that might contain spoilers (for the main story), I will mark them as such. This first side-story can be thought of as Chapter 1.5, and takes place just after the prologue of the main story.
> 
> As always, thank you [Nami](http://twitter.com/defragmentise) for allowing me to collaborate with you on this AU.

If Sorey concentrated hard enough, he was able to convince himself that Mikleo was just in a deep sleep. The older boy looked so peaceful and still inside of his pod, undisturbed ever since the accident. It was a rare sight for Sorey, because he knew Mikleo to be a light sleeper so it was strange to see him sleeping soundly, as if nothing would wake him.

Maybe that’s it, he thought. He was caught in an endless dream, so good he never wanted to wake up from it. He wondered what he’s dreaming about, and Sorey wished for Mikleo to wake up soon so he could ask him all about it.

He was seated next to their dive unit, chair facing the wrong way. His arms hugged the back of it, his chin resting on top of his arms. He found himself here often, sometimes sitting in the exact same position, other times simply pacing the room. It was always quiet in here, save for the mechanical whirring sounding from the dive unit. He breathed in, and breathed out; he tuned his breathing to match Mikleo’s heartbeat, but found little comfort in the soundless rhythm. It was much too slow for his liking.

In a way, Sorey thought hollowly, it matched his life right now. He was used to speeding ahead, brimming with energy and rearing to go; now that the brakes had been slammed down, the slowness of everything unnerved him, but he couldn’t seem to pick his speed back up. He let out a quiet sigh, turning his head and squeezing his eyes shut. It was a hollow feeling, not being able to hear Mikleo’s voice when over the years it had become as natural to him as hearing his own voice. Even the lack of his presence by his side had been felt immediately, the space to his left filled with nothing but empty air.

Just then the door to the diving room opened with a hiss, and Sorey’s eyes opened slowly. Zenrus had temporarily closed off the diving room to divers in light of Mikleo’s accident, Sorey having the room to himself most days. So he knew who it was, and why they were here.

And he wished for things to have been different.

He lifted his head just enough to see Zenrus hobbling in on his walking stick, followed by Muse and his mother wheeling in something behind him. It was a pod similar to the ones connected to the dive unit, except for the clear glass in place of the scratched metal hood. Sorey lifted his head higher to try and get a better look at it, eventually sliding off the chair to stand up properly. He wobbled in place as sensation returned to his legs, working out the dull ache in his arms as well.

“Sorey, it’s time.”

Sorey nodded wordlessly, stepping back to allow Zenrus access to Mikleo’s pod. He lifted a hand to the panel on the side, carefully navigating through the menus and inputting keystrokes. After a moment the dive unit stopped humming, and it was only then that Sorey realised how much its noise had filled out the silence in the diving room. Zenrus stepped back as Muse approached the pod, gently tugging the dive helmet off Mikleo’s head. His brown hair came loose from the helmet, falling into a tangled mess. Placing the helmet to his side, her words to him were barely above a whisper. She was doing her best to keep herself together, Sorey knew that. He also knew that if it weren’t for him, they wouldn’t need to be doing this in the first place.

His mother had fewer words to offer, and he caught his own name being said in snatches of her one-sided conversation. She promised to look after both him and Muse in Mikleo’s place, a declaration that caused Muse to tear up again as Selene held her in a tight embrace, trying to comfort her best friend. Sorey shifted on the spot, Zenrus saying a few words before laying a hand on Mikleo’s shoulder and squeezing gently. When he met Sorey’s gaze, there was a silent apology in the way the wrinkles beneath his eyes looked darker and deeper.

As if he had done all he could, but in the end this was the only answer he could find.

Mikleo was dying. Sorey had known, but had no way of stopping it. He had noticed his skin growing paler, faint traces of bone becoming visible through his skin. He knew that at the current rate, Mikleo wouldn’t survive long enough to wake up. Until Zenrus had told him of an old medical pod that had been sitting unused for quite some time. It would keep him alive, but at a cost: once the medical pod was closed, it wouldn’t be opened again until he woke up.

He would always be in reach, but never close enough.

And they didn’t even know if there was a chance of him waking up.

In that moment, standing over Mikleo’s pod, Sorey’s words died in his throat and he couldn’t find his voice. He had already apologised how many times over, said all he could in an attempt to get a response out of Mikleo. Now he was saying goodbye, and he had no words to offer.

“Sorey.”

“I-I know, Gramps,” Sorey murmured, biting his lip.

Atakk had confirmed a trace of Mikleo’s online presence on the ‘net. Though nobody knew what it was, Zenrus thought it safest to keep him connected to the ‘net in the meantime. However, moving him to the medical pod meant Mikleo needed to be temporarily disconnected from the ‘net.

And right now, they were running out of time to re-establish that connection.

Wiping at his eyes, he felt the faint tickle of something against his cheek. He pulled his hand away, staring at the brightly coloured feather bracelet on his wrist. He had had it for as long as he could remember. But maybe it was time to change that.

“You said that it would be alright, so I’m holding you to that,” Sorey murmured, removing his bracelet. He took Mikleo’s hand, ignoring how cold he felt and slipped the bracelet around Mikleo’s wrist. It slid on easily, the feathers a bold contrast to his pale skin.

Sorey leaned in close, his forehead almost touching Mikleo’s but he stopped just short of it, letting his skin brush against the soft hairs of his bangs instead. He had never cried while visiting Mikleo on his own. But realising that this was the last time he would be this close to him, the dam finally broke and Sorey let himself cry. He half-expected Mikleo to wake up then and tease him for being a crybaby, but he didn’t respond at all, much to his despair.

When he felt Zenrus’ hand on his shoulder, he knew they were out of time. He leaned in even closer then, allowing their foreheads to touch. He flinched at the cool contact, but soon relaxed and tried to commit this feeling to memory, not knowing when would be the next time they could be this close again.

“…Goodnight, Mikleo,” Sorey whispered, squeezing his hand once more for good measure. “And sweet dreams.”

* * *

Sorey had never been one to be afraid of the dark. But that was before he lost Mikleo to the deep ‘net, before getting into a dive unit only to scream to be let out a moment later. The dark had become a harsh reminder of the accident, and he would barely make it past preliminary dive preparations before the crushing weight became too much.

He clung close to his mother after another failed diving attempt, grabbing onto her arms with bruising force because he needed something to anchor himself to the real world. His breaths came in ragged gasps as he gripped onto her tightly, as if he was afraid she would be the next one he lost to the ‘net.

Strings of broken sobs came in hushed tones as he murmured whispered apologies and pleaded for forgiveness through clenched teeth. Selene had her hand on the back of his head, stroking his hair as she attempted to comfort him, even though her own heart was breaking with each word that left his lips. She looked up and saw Muse standing on the other side of the glass windows, peering into the diving room. Her eyes were glassy, her lower lip trembling as she watched the scene in front of her. She knew that no one was to blame for what happened to Mikleo, but it didn’t stop her from tearing herself away. It pained her too much when the accident was still fresh in her mind.

Selene bit her lip as she watched Muse leave, focusing her attention back on Sorey. He had calmed down a bit but seemed reluctant to move, and she found herself wondering if things at Elysia would ever be the same again.

Everyone was hurting, that much she knew. But Sorey was the only one blaming himself for what happened.

* * *

He steeled himself in front of Zenrus’ office, eyes following the hard edges of the metal door. He dropped his gaze, looking down at his boots. Sorey pursed his lips before letting a soft sigh escape. He felt his shoulders relax, but his hand at his side was still too tense, the fabric of his jeans wrinkling in his tight grip. He pressed his lips together once more, hand falling to drum a finger nervously against the side of his leg. Sorey prepared himself to step forward but before he had a chance to knock, the door opened on its own and he found Zenrus standing there, looking him up and down.

“…I’ve been expecting you,” the older man told him, turning to make his way back to his office chair.

Sorey swallowed, noting that Zenrus always did have excellent insight. The knowledge put him slightly at ease, knowing that his request wouldn’t come as a surprise to Zenrus. In fact, the man had probably been waiting to see how long it would be before they had this conversation.

Sorey slipped inside after Zenrus, taking slow steps towards his desk. It all felt foreign to him, and he wasn’t sure why he was suddenly so nervous about being in Zenrus’ presence. He had known the man as Gramps for practically his whole life, so why was this so hard for him? He lamented that this time he had come alone, when usually he was always with Mikleo whenever the two of them came to visit. Sorey bit his lip as he pushed those thoughts away, standing in front of Zenrus’ desk. His hands had taken to gripping the fabric of his jeans again, as he slowly raised his eyes to meet Zenrus’ gaze.

“Well Sorey, what can I do for you?”

If he had been expecting him, he probably already knew why he was there. Perhaps, he just wanted to hear the words come from Sorey himself. He didn’t respond straight away, trying to find the best way to word it. His brow furrowed in concentration but he soon relented, his hand curling into a fist at his side.

“I’m ready to take over Elysia, Gramps,” Sorey murmured.

It was the conclusion he had come to draw for himself. There was no place for him in diving anymore, not when it reminded him of his guilt and when he did manage to dive, it left him feeling more exhausted as soon as he resurfaced. He could join the development team, but that had always been Mikleo’s area of work and it didn’t feel right joining the team alone.

Zenrus nodded carefully, his gaze never leaving Sorey. He watched him process the words, as if taking his request to heart. The silence stretched on, making him restless. He was fully prepared to be hit by a string of questions, questioning his commitment to the company or why it’s only now he decided to assume responsibility of the role.

Of course, what he didn’t prepare for was being turned down completely.

“No,” came Zenrus’ answer, firm as he addressed Sorey.

Sorey stared at him with wide eyes, stumbling forward as his hands gripped the edge of the desk. He was upset of course, struggling to understand why he was being refused this. For a long time, Zenrus had spoken fondly of leaving the company to Sorey and Mikleo when they were old enough. Both of them had grown up knowing they would one day assume responsibility of Elysia, even if the thought hadn’t exactly appealed to Sorey in his youth. But now, standing in front of Zenrus and ready to take up what was his, shouldn’t it have made him happy to see Sorey finally taking up his role?

In a way though, he couldn’t blame him. Even if both he and Mikleo had been raised to take over Elysia, the company had probably been promised to Mikleo long ago when Zenrus saw that Sorey wasn’t interested in becoming its head. And it was his fault that Mikleo was in a coma now. It was his recklessness, his rash decision-making and failure to think ahead that made him responsible for the accident. Zenrus didn’t want someone like him in charge of Elysia, and he could respect that.

“…I understand,” he whispered hoarsely, fingers relaxing from the desk and falling limply at his sides. He was about to excuse himself then and leave the office, but Zenrus spoke up again.

“You are still my heir, that hasn’t changed as a result of what happened,” he explained. “But where you are now, you aren’t ready.”

He motioned then for Sorey to sit, which he did. He wriggled nervously in the chair, wondering what else Zenrus had to say to him.

“You’re looking for an escape from diving,” said Zenrus.

It wasn’t a question so much as a statement. Sorey nodded wordlessly, sighing deeply. He couldn’t go back in there, not when it was like traces of Mikleo’s consciousness could still be felt inside his mind. Selene had offered to dive with him to alleviate the strain, but after losing Mikleo already, he couldn’t bear the thought of letting someone else share a dive unit with him.

“But I don’t want you to assume ownership to use it as a distraction,” Zenrus continued, his hard gaze set on Sorey. “I need to see that you’re serious about this. If you are, then you have much to learn.”

Sorey swallowed, nodding carefully. Part of him had been looking to assume ownership to distance himself from diving, he couldn’t lie about that. But if what Zenrus was saying was true, it could still be years before he assumed formal ownership. In the meantime, he would be studying and gaining experience in learning all about the company. And that would be fine with him, anything that meant he wouldn’t need to think about diving.

“I’m ready this time,” he urged, dipping his head. “Please, teach me what I need to know, sir.”

“Bah, enough of that,” Zenrus groaned, pressing his fingers to his temple. “I still consider you like a son, no need to get all formal on me. Besides, I won’t be the one teaching you.”

Sorey tilted his head to the side, the sound of Zenrus’ office door sliding open. He turned and saw Muse standing there, stopping in the doorway for a moment. She regarded Sorey with a slight smile before approaching the pair.

“So you came after all, Sorey,” she murmured.

“Gramps, no,” Sorey began to say, standing up from the chair and backing away from the desk.

“Muse will be an excellent mentor, she can provide you with the training and experience you lack,” Zenrus went on, but Sorey was still against the idea. Having to see her every day would simply serve as a reminder of his past actions, and she surely didn’t need to be reminded that he was alive and well when Mikleo was not.

“It will be alright, Sorey,” Muse sighed softly, addressing him directly. “Zenrus and I have already discussed this. He’s worried about you, as I am.”

So they had both known. For Zenrus to ask this of Muse, he couldn’t even begin to wonder what it meant for her. Sorey felt hot tears pooling at the corners of his eyes. He squeezed them shut, feeling his shoulders shaking. He didn’t deserve her concern, far from it. And yet she was offering her kindness, as if he had done nothing wrong. It didn’t feel right at all.

“Why don’t you hate me?” he choked out, curling his hands into fists. “It’s because of me that… that Mikleo is…!”

“Sorey, I don’t blame you for what happened, I never have,” she murmured.

Wiping at his eyes with his sleeve, Sorey looked up to see Muse smiling warmly at him. Her eyes were duller than he remembered, unlike the bright violet that had been Mikleo’s eyes. And although she was smiling, it didn’t quite reach her eyes. Even then, it was a smile he had grown up with, one he had come to love over the many years.

“Let us help one another. You don’t have to go on alone like this.”

Reaching into her skirt pocket, she produced a pair of glasses. Sorey’s heart clenched at the sight of them, fresh tears forming. He knew what they were, and more importantly _who_ they had belonged to.

“I-I can’t,” he choked, shaking his head furiously.

“It’s okay,” Muse murmured, stepping close to him and pushing the glasses into his trembling hands. Her own hands closed around his, holding on tightly. Her touch was gentle, comforting in a way that Sorey hadn’t felt in a long time.

“Mikleo would have wanted you to have his interface, especially if he knew it would help in preparation for you to take over Elysia.”

His hands tightened around the frame of Mikleo’s interface, feeling the cool metal beneath his fingers. He had never bothered with getting his own interface out of a lack of need for it. Even Mikleo had used it sparingly, not wanting to become reliant on the technology. But he knew that Muse had a point; if he was to prove himself as heir of Elysia in a world of clients and business partners, he would need to look the part.

“Thank you, Muse,” he whispered.

“He believed in you, Sorey,” she murmured, stepping back. “So please, don’t let him down.”

Sorey nodded, wiping at his eyes again. He wasn’t alone, not when Zenrus was placing his trust in him and Muse had been worrying over him for who knew how long. And he definitely didn’t want Mikleo’s faith in him to be misplaced. He mumbled a small word of thanks to Mikleo under his breath, pocketing his interface before turning his attention back to Zenrus and Muse.

“Now, going back to Zenrus’ offer,” she began, folding her hands in front of her. “I happen to have an internship position open, if you would be interested.”

She extended one hand towards Sorey in invitation. He looked down at her outstretched hand, hesitating for a moment. Everything was different from here on out. He would be thrown into an unfamiliar environment, unsure what was waiting for him. Mikleo wouldn’t be his partner this time, so in a sense he would be alone. But he wasn’t going to get anywhere being comfortable.

Sorey took a step forward, trying his best to smile widely for her. Muse’s hand closed around his, welcoming him into the brand new world he was about to navigate.

* * *

If Mikleo had needed to describe Sorey’s dress sense, he would have said it was non-existent. It wasn’t that Mikleo’s sense of style was particularly high, but in comparison he definitely had Sorey beat. It was the reason why the older boy had always been the one who co-ordinated Sorey’s outfits, both online and offline. He at least had the sense to dress Sorey like the heir that he was, and Sorey decided to go along with it, partly to entertain his best friend.

Despite being a private company, he was starting to find himself representing Elysia at more public appearances compared to when he had first started his internship under Muse. This, of course required a more formal look than what he was used to. Sifting through rows of jackets and shirts, he smiled softly to himself, memories of how each of them had come into his possession coming to the surface of his mind. Sorey wondered what Mikleo would think of his casual attire now, and if he would appreciate the faint traces of aquamarine in his accessories. He could also see him making fun of the extra feathers in his outfit, having upgraded from the simple feather bracelet that used to sit on his wrist.

He pulled a jacket from his cupboard, eyeing it up and down. It was a deep black trench coat, somewhat similar to one of the pieces he owned in the ‘net. It wasn’t exactly fitting for a business event, so he was about to put it back when he noticed an oddly shaped box behind where the jacket had once been. Tilting his head to the side, he hung the jacket back up before pushing past it to grab the box. 

It wasn’t very heavy, slightly round in shape and with loose bits of wrapping paper still stuck to it. It hadn’t been unwrapped properly, obviously only torn enough so that the lid of the box could be removed. Sighing, Sorey tore the rest of the paper off and walked over to sit on his bed, the box now sitting on his lap. Removing the lid, inside was a white felt hat decorated with a brown belt. He pulled the hat out and held it between his hands, thumbing over the material.

It had been a present from Mikleo, Sorey’s last birthday they had shared before the accident. He had wanted to complete Sorey’s look seeing as he was already picking out his wardrobe for him, but frowned when he realised Sorey didn’t appreciate the gift. Mikleo had shrugged and teased him back to normalcy, noting that he was still young and maybe it was too early for him to be dressing like the adults. The hat had been quickly discarded after that, Sorey completely forgetting he had kept it in the first place.

He stood up from the bed and walked over to the mirror, hat in hand. Experimentally, he placed it on his head. Years of diving with the dive helmet had made his hair flat, so it slipped on easily despite him not diving as much as he used to. It was a different look, but he found that he didn’t mind it now. He shook his head and couldn’t help but smile to himself. Mikleo had been right when he said to give himself a couple more years. He only wished that he were around to see it now.

He removed the hat and held it to his chest, lowering his head. Mikleo was still out there somewhere, he reminded himself as a rueful smile crept onto his face.

_I know you’ll come find me again._

“I promise I’ll find you, Mikleo,” Sorey murmured, as he stepped out wearing the hat once more.


	2. Reboot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the wake of Mikleo’s accident, Atakk finds himself alone and without the company of Sorey and Mikleo; the first time he has been without the two since compiling into a completed program. He misses the days spent with them, exploring the surface level and diving into the archives. Now, it feels a lot like someone has hit the restart button, and he’s forced to learn how to live all over again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since the original story is mostly told from Sorey's point of view, these side stories make for a good excuse to write for other characters. Writing for Atakk was a challenge in itself, trying to imagine how an AI would perceive things differently compared to humans. I hope I did his character justice!

It had been over two weeks since Atakk had last heard from Sorey or Mikleo. He returned to their house within the ‘net every day, waiting for them to come home but the door always remained closed. He waited for messages that said they would be coming to see him, but his interface was silent. Sometimes he caught a brief signal of Sorey’s online presence, but it always disappeared before he could respond to it. And while he had detected Mikleo’s presence within the ‘net, it was impossible to track. He would return to the Normin’s dedicated server following shut down preparations, feeling sluggish even though he hadn’t done anything to overexert himself. And the lag seemed to persist even into the next day.

 _“Nothing is wrong with your programming,_ “ Zenrus told him gently one day. Atakk found himself spending more time with Zenrus lately, though he made it a point not to disturb him when he was busy. But he didn’t seem to mind the AI hanging around his screen or interface regardless of his work. _“It sounds to me that you’re what we humans would call ‘lonely’.”_

< Lonely? > he replied, blinking at Zenrus.

 _“Yes, all humans experience loneliness at one point or another. It can creep up unexpectedly, sudden and without warning,”_ he went on. _“Sometimes, it goes away without needing to do anything. But in other cases, it remains and it takes even longer to rid oneself of it.”_

Atakk frowned, standing up to trot the length of Zenrus’ screen. Each step felt like it was taking more processing power than usual out of him. This ‘loneliness’ was doing weird things for him, making his body feel heavy when he had already been scanned free of viruses by Phoenix.

< Well right now, this ‘loneliness’ isn’t going away on its own, > Atakk sighed, plopping down into the corner of Zenrus’ screen.

 _“Give it time,”_ Zenrus said, leaning back in his office chair. His eyes seemed distant as he pursed his lips slightly, tapping his pipe on the edge of his desk.

Atakk sighed again, lying on his back. He wondered what Sorey was doing at the moment. At first, he had thought that maybe Sorey couldn’t dive anymore. Maybe there was somebody at Elysia who was stopping him from doing so, especially in light of his last exploration. But when he questioned Zenrus about it, the answer he had received in turn was unexpected.

_“It’s not that he can’t dive anymore; he doesn’t want to dive anymore.”_

Atakk had found that hard to believe, especially coming from somebody like Sorey who had visited the ‘net almost daily since learning how to dive. On the other hand, it did serve to explain his sudden disappearance from the ‘net, but it still didn’t make sense why he hadn’t had any form of contact from him since the accident.

< Sir? >

The older man hummed softly in acknowledgement, encouraging the AI to continue.

< Why is it that I’m only feeling this ‘loneliness’ now? >

Zenrus leaned forward, causing Atakk to sit back up so he could face him properly. He tilted his head, waiting anxiously for his answer. Though he did say that loneliness crept up unexpectedly on humans, it didn’t explain why he – an AI – was suddenly struck with the feeling.

 _“I’m sure you already know that things at Elysia are drastically different now,”_ Zenrus began, and Atakk nodded in understanding. _“Change can sometimes bring about loneliness.”_

Atakk nodded once again, slowly beginning to understand Zenrus’ logic. If change had been the cause of all this, then reversing the change would surely bring things back to the way they were, right?

_“Tell me, what has changed for you?”_

Atakk thought hard, trying to think what was different within the past couple days. His responsibilities around Elysia had remained the same, as did his interactions with the other Normin. Speaking with Zenrus had become a new addition to his routine, but he didn’t think that was the cause of his loneliness.

It was then he realised what was missing; since compiling into a completed program, this was the first time he had been without Sorey and Mikleo. Spending days with them had become so natural, he couldn’t even remember a time when he wasn’t with them. Exploring the surface level, diving into the archives – he didn’t even realise the hollow feeling in his chest was because he had been missing these things.

Something bubbled up inside of Atakk, making his limbs shake and causing his mouth to quiver. He felt a strange wetness dribbling down his face, squeaking when he realised it was coming from him.

< S-Sir! What is this?! >

 _“Hush, you have no need to worry,”_ Zenrus said calmly, but Atakk was still panicking and rubbing at the wetness that he soon found was leaking from his eyes. _“Sometimes, the loneliness gets too much for one person. Think of crying as… a way of letting some of that loneliness escape.”_

< I… I… > he whimpered, the tears freely flowing from his eyes now. Was this what it felt like to cry? He continued to sniffle, releasing some of the pent-up loneliness as Zenrus had suggested. Through his wave of emotions, he managed to voice aloud his feelings.

< I want… I want to talk to Sorey and Mikleo! I want to see them again…! >

 _“I’m sorry, I know this hasn’t been easy on you,”_ Zenrus said gently, wishing he had more to offer than just his words of comfort. But he hoped that his presence alone would communicate more than his words alone could.

Atakk hiccuped softly, rubbing at his red-ringed eyes once the tears had stopped flowing. His eyes were sore and the loneliness still hung over him like a cloud, but he didn’t feel nearly as heavy as before. The crying seemed to have alleviated some of the loneliness, and he looked expectantly at Zenrus once he had calmed down.

_“Understand Atakk, that at the moment Sorey is also lonely.”_

< B-Because of Mikleo? > he sniffed.

_“Yes, and just as with you, the changes haven’t been easy on him either. Unfortunately, he needs some more time to work through them.”_

Atakk visibly deflated at this, anxious to see Sorey again. But if the loneliness that Sorey was feeling was anything like his own, he knew he would be struggling with his own emotions just as he was.

 _“However, I have every confidence that he will return to you soon,”_ Zenrus continued. _“So when that time comes, the two of you will need to help each other through this.”_

Atakk nodded furiously, his tiny hands balling into fists. As much as he missed Sorey, it was obvious that this was going to take time for the both of them. It was then he decided that he didn’t like feeling lonely, so he would do what he could to stop either him or Sorey from feeling this way again.

* * *

It was on a quiet day at Elysia while organising some new files that a chime sounded from Atakk’s interface. He paused in his work, much to Phoenix’s annoyance to see what it was. Ignoring the glares he was receiving from him, Atakk’s eyes widened when he saw the familiar icon of Sorey’s avatar. It was the first time he had seen it in a while, and he half-expected to see it disappear as it usually did. But a few minutes passed and Sorey remained online. He eyed him carefully for any activity, sucking in a breath when he saw him on the move. He didn’t hesitate to open a portal in response, preparing to go to the surface level.

< Where do you think you’re going?! > Phoenix boomed upon seeing his portal.

< Sorey needs me! > he shouted before tumbling through.

He landed on the floor of their home, stretching his limbs and wincing at the soreness in his body. It had been several weeks since he had last visited the surface level, so he needed to grow accustomed to using his human avatar again. He flexed his fingers, working the muscles of his jaw loose as he adjusted the helm on his head. He was just standing up when the door opened, and he exhaled a shaky breath as someone entered.

“Sorey!” Atakk exclaimed upon seeing the human walk in, but his enthusiasm soon dissipated.

Sorey’s face was downcast, not saying anything as he closed the door behind him. Atakk looked him up and down, noting that he was still wearing the same clothes as that day he and Mikleo had left to explore the third level of the ‘net. He remembered how happy Sorey had looked as he showed off that exact coat to Mikleo, the grin that the other boy had worn upon making fun of Sorey’s dress sense. But now, Sorey’s normally bold green eyes were dull, distant as he regarded Atakk’s concerned gaze.

“Sorey?”

Without warning, Sorey dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms around Atakk, the AI squeaking at the sudden movement. But he said nothing as Sorey squeezed him tighter, the human’s shoulders shaking with each sob that began to rack his frame. Atakk recalled Zenrus’ words about loneliness, and how crying was an outlet to let it escape. He was familiar with the crying, and it was a logical conclusion to draw that this motion Sorey was performing now was another way of coping with the loneliness. Wriggling his arms loose, he tentatively let them rest on Sorey’s back and did his best to copy the action, burying his face into Sorey’s shoulder as he felt tears of his own beginning to fall.

They grieved for their friend, weeks of separation dissolving into silent apologies and broken sobs. And in their loneliness they sought solace in one another, taking comfort in each other’s presence.

* * *

The last software update Atakk had undergone had been so long ago, he had forgotten what it felt like. But if he had to describe it, he would liken it to the human activity of ‘sleep’. From what he had heard of it from Sorey and Mikleo, AI didn’t need sleep in the way that humans did. So when he was taken offline to install a new software update, that was the closest he got to ‘sleeping’.

Coming back online afterwards was always a disorientating experience, as he opened his eyes and adjusted to the new update. He blinked once, twice, flexing his paws and yawning as he stretched.

< Sorey…? > he mumbled groggily.

 _“Good, looks like you’re back online,”_ he heard Sorey say from his interface. _“Everything okay?”_

Atakk blinked again, suddenly aware of the new windows in his interface. One was a video feed of a sleeping person; the other was a series of lines accompanied by a rhythmic beeping, sounding every few seconds. He recognised the sights and sounds from the few times he had visited Mikleo with Sorey, until the latter had thought to connect Atakk directly to the medical pod for ease of monitoring.

< Update successfully installed, > he announced.

 _“Confirmed,”_ Sorey added from his screen. _“Preparing additional data upload.”_

< Awaiting data download. >

There was a brief pause before a new message appeared in Atakk’s interface. Accepting the data file from Sorey, he closed his eyes as the download process began. As each item was successfully downloaded, he simultaneously began sorting through all the information.

He learned of the regular heart rate for a healthy human, the expected baseline for a young human of Mikleo’s age, nearing the end of their teenage years but only just beginning to mature into a young adult. He filed away information on Mikleo’s medical history, records saved from regular trips to the medical bay and past dives in his dive unit.

Finally he received data from the medical pod where Mikleo was currently housed, data that had not changed in the month since Mikleo had gone to ‘sleep’. Comparing the values to the data he had just downloaded, Atakk could already tell that Mikleo’s condition was no ordinary one. What was more, Sorey’s data had not included past history of such a condition. Considering his eye for detail, it wasn’t that he had failed to include such information; rather, he hadn’t been able to find anything at all.

They were both dealing with something unknown here.

< Data download complete, > Atakk announced as he opened his eyes.

 _“Thanks Atakk,”_ Sorey’s voice was quiet over his interface. He saw Sorey taking a seat next to Mikleo’s pod, pressing a single hand against the hood.

 _“The moment there’s a change – positive or negative – you’ll know immediately,”_ he went on to say, curling his fingers into the cold glass.

< Leave it to me, > Atakk said.

 _“You hear that, Mikleo? Atakk is going to look after you,”_ Sorey said, a pained look in his eyes that Atakk caught briefly before he began wiping at his face with the cuff of his jacket sleeve.

< I’m here, Mikleo, > Atakk chimed in, one of his paws reaching up to hover over the sleeping figure in his interface. < We’re both here… we won’t leave you alone. >

Mikleo remained unresponsive, Atakk watching the dips and rises of his heart rate on his screen. He let the slow but steady beating of Mikleo’s heart ring all around him, processing each sound and committing the rhythm to his memory archives.

* * *

Sorey never stayed in the ‘net for long; that was one of the first things Atakk had noticed when Sorey began diving again. In fact, it was quiet rare for Sorey to be diving outside of his newfound responsibilities, now that he had formally accepted inheritance of Elysia. But when he did, he would always go straight to the study. There was no playful banter as he entered the house, no excitement pumping through his body as if he was preparing to visit the archives. It was quiet in their home, a shadow of the memories they had once shared before.

Noting that Sorey was staying longer than usual in the ‘net today, Atakk ascended the stairs to his study in search of him. He found the human slumped over his desk, head resting on his arms and eyes closed. His shoulders rose and fell with each breath from his slightly agape mouth. Sorey must have exhausted himself looking for information to help Mikleo, but peering at the blank notes in front of him, Atakk concluded that he had once again come up empty.

“Sorey,” he murmured, giving him a gentle nudge.

Sorey stirred before his eyes opened slowly, blinking once as he realised where he was.

“Atakk,” he mumbled. “Sorry, I must have fallen asleep there. I didn’t even think that was possible within the ‘net.”

He said the last part with a small chuckle, but Atakk sensed he was trying to cover up his exhaustion.

“Sorey, you should resurface if you’re feeling tired,” he urged. “You can always continue next time.”

“In a bit,” he answered, flicking his open book to the next page.

Atakk frowned, relenting and flicking his gaze to Mikleo’s empty desk. Sorey had tidied it up when he began using the study again, probably to avoid seeing the notes and findings that Mikleo had left behind from before the accident. It was then that Sorey exhaled a heavy sigh, closing the cover of his book and leaning back in his chair. His shoulders were sagging, voice quiet when he spoke.

“…Am I doing all this for nothing?” he murmured, turning to face Atakk.

“What?”

“It’s been over a year, and we’re no closer to finding any answers,” Sorey continued with a sigh, pressing the heel of his palm into his forehead. He bit back a sob, squeezing his eyes shut.

“Of course it’s not for nothing!” Atakk tried to tell him, suddenly gripping onto Sorey’s sleeve tightly. “You made a promise to Mikleo, didn’t you? That you would be the one to find him again!”

“I know, I know that!” Sorey cried, tearing his arm away. His hand flung out and knocked over the pile of books that had been sitting on the edge of his desk. Atakk jumped, quickly scrambling to pick up the fallen books once he had recovered. He looked at Sorey, who had buried his face in his arms. Though he was trying his best to hide it, Atakk saw the way his shoulders were shaking, heard the muffled sobs in his voice.

“I know that…” Sorey repeated quietly, Atakk straining to hear his words. “It’s just… hard.”

The AI decided not to press him further, carefully setting the books back into place. He wanted to help Sorey, but the truth was he didn’t know how. He was an AI; while he could feel emotions, it was only because they were a part of his programming. He didn’t understand them as humans did, not in the way that Sorey and Mikleo did.

 _Mikleo_ , he thought with a sigh. _What would you do?_

Closing his eyes, he searched his memory archives. He analysed Sorey’s voice pattern from just then, studied his body language searching for other instances when he had seen Sorey acting in a similar manner. He had years of archived footage in his memory archives, but even then he had hardly seen Sorey react as he just did. Focusing in on a single file, he drew it from the depths of his memory archives and opened it.

_“I believe in you.”_

“Mikleo…!” Sorey’s head immediately snapped up, frantically looking around for the source of the voice. When he turned to Atakk, his breath caught as he saw Mikleo – or rather, his avatar – on his interface. He was unmistakable, with his moonlit silver hair and soft violet eyes, one of the few traits he shared with his offline self. But the angle was different. Rather than being on level ground with him, the angle was from down below, as if he were looking through the eyes of somebody shorter.

_“You’ll find a way, you always do.”_

The view shifted then, as if there was a movie camera panning across the screen. Mikleo’s hand came to rest on someone’s shoulder, Sorey taking a moment to realise that the shoulder was his own. The two of them were in the study, Sorey slumped over his desk and looking exhausted. But the moment Mikleo’s hand was on his shoulder, both Sorey and Atakk watched as his tension eased away, and a tired but genuine smile crept onto his face.

_“Thanks for always having my back.”_

_“Admit it, you would be lost if not for me.”_

The Sorey in the video didn’t hesitate to jab Mikleo in the side for that comment, the latter quickly responding by teasing Sorey back to normalcy. The video paused then, frozen on a frame of the two of them engaged in a tickle fight. Atakk closed the feed, almost reluctantly when he saw the way Sorey’s face fell at the sight. But he didn’t look nearly as upset as he had a moment ago.

“Do you remember? The two of you were working on the coding for Phoenix’s program,” Atakk stated, closing his interface. “After hitting several walls, you were about to give up on him but Mikleo wouldn’t let you.”

Atakk shrugged then, shaking his head and his lips curving into a pout. “Now look at him, basically lording over the server and working us Normin until we overheat.”

“I definitely didn’t write that into his programming,” Sorey quickly protested, chuckling lightly. “That was probably Mikleo injecting some of his own stubbornness into him!”

The two of them shared a laugh, Atakk visibly relaxing at Sorey’s lifted mood. Being able to hear Mikleo’s voice again must have put him at ease, as did seeing the boy’s avatar and being reminded of the tickle fights they used to share.

“What I’m trying to say is… don’t give up, Sorey,” Atakk said, taking a step forward and pulling the first book off the pile on Sorey’s desk, handing it to him. “Mikleo might not be here at the moment, but I think he would say something similar.”

“Quite the opposite actually,” Sorey mused as he took the book from him. “I think he would tell me off because I was about to give up so easily.”

With renewed purpose, Sorey returned to his research, though Atakk was quick to remind him to resurface as soon as possible. Mikleo had always been the one to look out for Sorey, understanding him in ways that Atakk as an AI couldn’t. But without him, Atakk knew he would need to take up that responsibility, utilising the information he had learned from the years he had spent with the two of them.

He prided himself on being their guide within the ‘net, but he recognised now that Sorey was in need of a different sort of guidance. Until the day Mikleo woke up, he would guide and support Sorey in his place. It wasn’t instructed of him, but he would do so anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for checking out these first two side stories! Your regularly scheduled main story updates will now continue.
> 
> /rolls away to write DD6


	3. Hide and Seek

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luzrov’s first visit to the surface level goes about as well as Sorey could have thought. Eager to explore its newfound surroundings, it becomes separated from the rest of the party, ignorant of the dangers that the surface poses to it. Sorey and Lailah are quick to follow, but neither of them are prepared for the surprise that lays in store for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 15.11.2016 marks the date that I first 'adopted' Deep Dive AU. So in honour of its anniversary, I wanted to write a little something. <3
> 
> It's been an honour being able to write for Nami's AU and weave her ideas into a story that has grown to what it is today. I can't thank her enough for allowing me to collaborate with her on this.
> 
> And a big thank you to everyone who has joined us along for this adventure! Thank you for all of the comments, fanart, shares, and much more. I can't thank everyone enough for their support, and I hope you will continue to follow this story to its end.
> 
> Enough from me. I hope you enjoy this little side story despite the shorter length. <3

The surface level of the ‘net was busy. It was where divers around the world gathered, where almost all online activity took place. People built their whole lives on the ‘net, bringing the fantasies they couldn’t fulfil in the real world to life online. It was home to some people – those who couldn’t wait to escape the reality of the real world.

It was no place for a young AI, especially one still only beginning to navigate its way around the archives.

Sorey barely had the door to his house open when a ball of white and turquoise hurtled into his chest, causing him to fall backwards with a yelp. The ball of fluff chimed happily, flicking its tail from side to side as it sat proudly in its spot.

“L-Luzrov?!” he gasped, staring at the ferret sitting on his chest. “What are you doing here?”

< Welcome home, Sorey! > Lailah exclaimed, appearing in the front door. < Please pardon our intrusion. >

“Lailah, you too?” he suddenly sat up, Luzrov tumbling into his lap with a grunt.

< Yes well, Luzrov seemed a bit restless in the archives so we thought to bring it to the surface level, > Lailah went on to explain as Atakk appeared next to her in his human avatar.

“Are you sure? Luzrov only just stabilised itself in this form. What if it had gotten caught in the dark ‘net again?” Sorey said anxiously, scratching said AI under its chin.

“Neither Lailah nor myself have noticed anything so far, so I think Luzrov will be fine here,” Atakk piped up. “Knowing Luzrov, it probably would have found its way to the surface level one way or another.”

“O-Okay…” Sorey mumbled, not entirely convinced but mostly still reeling from the shock of having the AI show up at his front door.

Luzrov scampered off his lap with a chime, running back into the house as Sorey got to his feet. Before he could stop it, the AI had already disappeared upstairs. Scratching at the back of his neck, he looked to Lailah as she smiled at him.

< I worried that Luzrov was getting bored of staying in the archives all the time, hence why we decided to visit the surface. It’s certainly been more active since we arrived here. >

“Really? This seems like Luzrov’s normal behaviour to me though…” Sorey frowned.

< Perhaps that is true, > she giggled, bringing him inside. < But I also suspect that part of the reason is because you’re here now, Sorey. >

Looking around his house, there wasn’t much to it. It was simply furnished, maybe a little bigger than needed for what had just been himself and Mikleo, and Atakk when he stayed with them. The most interesting part of their house was probably the study, and even then it wasn’t exactly the regular person’s idea of interesting. It contained their research findings, including various diagrams and maps from their exploration of the archives. Now, only one of the two desks was in use, theories about the archives and its origins exchanged for information on the dark level and AI programs.

Luzrov chirped from upstairs, prompting Sorey to follow the sound and see what the AI was up to. He found it in the bedroom, poking its head out from the wardrobe. It looked up at him with its beady eyes, humming around the baseball cap in its mouth. Sorey recognised it as one of the pieces he had picked up when he and Mikleo had first started diving. He had thought it was cool at the time, even if Mikleo had made fun of him for it. He had never gotten the chance to wear it, and almost forgot he had had it until Luzrov fished it out of storage.

“Hey, get out of there,” he said to the AI with a chuckle, plucking the hat from its mouth. Luzrov huffed a bit in disappointment, grumbling as Sorey shut the wardrobe door. He knelt down, humming aloud as he placed the cap on Luzrov.

The ferret chirped, possibly a tone of annoyance as its vision was completely obscured now. It poked its head out from underneath the cap, staring at Sorey. He simply laughed and took back the hat, storing it in his wardrobe again.

“C’mon, Luzrov,” he said, patting his arm. “I’m sure you have better things to do than play dress-up all day.”

Luzrov regarded him for a moment, grunting before scampering up his arm and bracing its paws on his chest. Pawing at the red ribbon around Sorey’s collar, it held it carefully in its mouth before giving a single tug. The ribbon came undone, and before Sorey could ask what it was doing, Luzrov already had the ribbon in its mouth and was scampering away from him.

“Hey, Luzrov!” Sorey shouted as he started to give chase.

The AI made a light tinkling noise almost like laughter as it scurried down the stairs, nose sniffing at the air. In the kitchen, Lailah was humming to herself as she set up some plants on the windowsill.

Luzrov jumped up onto her shoulder, squeaking at her. She turned at the sudden weight on her shoulder, smiling as she fondled it under its chin.

< Hello there, my small friend. What do you have there? > she tilted her head to the side, fingering the red ribbon in its mouth.

“Luzrov!” Sorey suddenly appeared in the kitchen, glaring at the ferret. The two AI turned to look at him, Luzrov squeaking before jumping off Lailah’s shoulder. It landed on the windowsill, slipping through the open window much to Lailah’s surprise. Behind her, Sorey’s face paled as he realised that Luzrov was now out loose and by itself on the surface level.

“I have to go after it!” he said, already throwing open the front door.

< I’ll come too, > Lailah said, moving to follow him. < Atakk, please stay here just in case Luzrov comes back. >

“I’ll let you know if it does,” he said with a salute. “Be careful out there!”

Lailah nodded, quickly ducking out to chase after Sorey. Her skirts billowed behind her as she ran, as did her long ponytail.

< Don’t worry Sorey, we’ll find Luzrov, > she reassured him.

He nodded, trying not to think of the AI alone and lost amongst all the activity of the surface level. What if it was scared, and chiming for him or Lailah? There was also no telling what would happen if a user managed to get their hands on the AI. A million scenarios were running through his head, and none of them were ideal. He just hoped that they wouldn’t be too late.

* * *

Luzrov’s ears flickered as it pawed its way across rooftops, admiring the view it had of the town below. From here it could see almost everything going on, head twisting as it eyed some of the users who were gathering in the square. Humming around the ribbon in its mouth, it didn’t think there would be any harm in going to have a look. At least, things on the surface level were much more interesting compared to the archives. Luzrov preferred the activity here, being able to see all of the users and what they got up to. 

Suddenly it paused in its movements, scratching at a sudden itch on its back. It growled when it didn’t go away, the slight twitch still tickling under its fur. Ignoring it, Luzrov continued to trot along the roof, peering down at the streets below. It kept its eye out for Sorey, half-expecting to hear the user calling its name. It had already caught sight of him on the back of its tail shortly after running away, before it managed to lose him in the activity of the ‘net. So it didn’t have a doubt that Sorey was probably looking for it now. Even if he was worried about letting it roam around freely in the ‘net, Luzrov would show him that it could take care of itself.

Stopping in its tracks, it tried to suppress the brief shudder that ran through its body then. The sudden itch was back, stronger than before. It was enough to make Luzrov hiss, its ears flattening against its head. It couldn’t tell what was causing the itch, but it was uncomfortable either way. It held itself still for a moment, swaying as it fought off the brief lag that came afterwards. Shaking its body, it huffed and continued on its way.

When Sorey eventually found it, it would have to nose Lailah for a scan once they were reunited. With her support processes, surely she would be able to tell what was behind the itch and the lag. Squeezing its eyes, it let out a long whine at a particularly strong shudder. It was like something was flaring up under its fur, paralysing it. It was enough to make its legs buckle underneath, as it struggled to keep upright. It crooned out a low sound, but neither Sorey nor Lailah were around to hear it.

Lzurov was alone with no one to help, not even as it lost its footing on the roof and started falling to the ground below.

* * *

“What do you mean Luzrov can’t be tracked?” Sorey was exclaiming at Lailah’s latest revelation.

< It means exactly that, > she shrugged, furrowing her brows at her blank navigational map. < Luzrov doesn’t appear on my interface. >

He recalled back to when he had first met Lailah, and how at the time she hadn’t had a navigational icon either. Now that he was starting to understand the AI and had experience armatising with them, he realised that they didn’t show up on regular users’ maps. User interfaces had only ever been coded to recognise NPCs; it would explain why Luzrov didn’t appear on his interface, but it didn’t make sense for it to be hidden from Lailah’s interface as well.

< It might be because Luzrov’s code isn’t fully developed yet, > she went on to explain, closing her interface window. < The other possibility is that it’s cloaking itself. >

“A cloak…?” Sorey repeated.

< Yes, and a powerful one at that, > she murmured. < It must be strong if even I’m having trouble tracking it. >

“Cloaking… just like…” he began before stopping short of finishing his sentence. He shook his head, realising this wasn’t the time to be thinking of that. Not when they still needed to find Luzrov.

< Did you say something, Sorey? > Lailah asked, concerned.

“No, it’s nothing,” he quickly answered. “How are we supposed to find it, then? There’s way too much ground to cover between the two of us.”

< Yes, and Luzrov could be anywhere by now, > she sighed, shoulders slumping.

If he hadn’t been worried earlier, Sorey was definitely worrying now. Luzrov was so small, it would have easily gotten lost amongst all of the users in the ‘net. And that was excluding the fact that it could be hiding from them on purpose. It seemed like an impossible task, Sorey groaning in frustration.

< Let me try tracking it once more, > Lailah said, opening her interface.

Sorey stirred restlessly next to her, looking anxiously to his own interface though he wasn’t sure what he expected to find there. It definitely wasn’t the strange icon on his navigational map that seemed to flicker on and off. It was just on the edge of his map, easily missable with how it appeared and reappeared every so often. Zooming in on it, he took note of the shape. It was a stylised bow and arrow, one that he would have easily recognised anywhere.

“Mikleo…” he breathed, hardly wasting a moment as he started in the direction of the icon.

< Sorey?! > Lailah exclaimed, following after him. < What is it? >

“It’s Mikleo! Mikleo is here!” he cried, eyes darting between his map and the road in front of him. He wove in-between the many users in his path, muttering out rushed apologies as he slipped past. The icon continued to flicker, as if the signal was weak and unstable. But it was stationary, so it didn’t appear that the owner of the icon was moving from their position. Sorey silently prayed for it to stay that way, at least long enough for him to catch up.

“Lailah! Can you lock onto that icon?”

< I’ll try, but it’s quite weak, > she said, confirming what Sorey already knew. < Even if I do manage to establish a link, I don’t know how long I’ll be able to maintain it for. >

“Just do your best, please,” he pleaded. They were close now to Mikleo’s icon, Sorey almost doubling over as he stopped to gasp for breath. He wobbled on his legs, quickly checking his map. The flickering had stopped, but now the icon had started to move. He shook his head, forcing himself to his feet even as he swayed.

< Sorey! > Lailah shouted when she caught up, taking hold of his arm to support him.

“Mikleo…” he rasped, stumbling forward. “The link?”

Lailah frowned, shaking her head before explaining.

< I have a better reading on him now, but it’s strange. I think he’s cloaking himself in a similar manner to Luzrov, and it’s blocking me from tracking his signature. >

Now it was Sorey’s turn to frown as he eyed Mikleo’s icon on his map. It didn’t make sense for him to have his cloak up, unless there was the need to hide his presence from somebody – or something. They would just have to track him manually and see what it was. The icon was fast, almost skittish in its actions. Sorey quickened his pace a little, letting go of Lailah as he dashed forward. He barely caught sight of a flash of silver hair, just before the icon and its owner disappeared around the corner.

He would have given chase if he wasn’t reeling in shock from what he had seen. Even if it was only a faint glimpse, it had to have been Mikleo. Everything pointed towards him, from his custom icon to his avatar’s cloak and the head of silver hair. He could scarcely think of anything else except, Mikleo is alive.

He had to follow him. His icon was still strong as Sorey watched him follow the alleyway out to the main road. If he and Lailah didn’t give chase soon, it would be too easy to lose him if he decided to venture into the main square. Lailah knelt down beside him, rubbing a hand over his back as she eyed him with concern.

< Are you going to go after him? > she murmured.

“Of course,” he said without hesitation. “I can’t lose him a second time.”

Lailah nodded, helping him to his feet as she opened her navigational map.

< As long as his presence remains strong, we should be able to use our navigational maps to follow him, > she said, pointing out the icon that was steadily moving away from them. < But if his signal is lost, I won’t be able to track him. So we should hurry before that happens. >

Sorey nodded in understanding, taking a deep breath as he jogged down the alleyway that Mikleo had followed. He didn’t know why he was avoiding him; he doubted that Lailah’s presence as an AI was part of the reason. They would just have to confront him and ask him themselves.

It was a difficult task with how much distance was between them now. Sorey couldn’t tell if Mikleo was just that fast, or if it was his own exhaustion stopping him from keeping up. He would have called for him, but considering that Mikleo had his own reasons for cloaking himself, he figured it wouldn’t be a good idea to spook him further.

< It appears he’s heading down the left fork up ahead, > Lailah announced. < Perhaps we should split up and corner him. >

“Good idea,” he nodded. “Leave Mikleo to me; Lailah, you try and cut him off from the other side.”

< Okay, I’m on it. >

Taking the next left, Sorey rounded the corner as Lailah continued on the path heading straight. He checked his map, thankful that this part of the ‘net wasn’t as busy meaning less users around. Noting that the icon had momentarily stopped, he slowed his own pace, gasping around the burning in his lungs.

But the pain and exhaustion was secondary to Mikleo. It was everything he had been working towards, had easily consumed him in more ways than one. He almost couldn’t bring himself to turn that last corner, a part of him still staying away out of lingering fear. But this was his chance to finally be reunited, and apologise for everything that had happened.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped out, only to be met with a deserted alleyway.

No, this couldn’t be right. Sorey stumbled forward, eyes darting left and right but it was empty. His navigational map was blank, with no sign of Mikleo’s icon anywhere. The breath he had been holding came out in short gasps as he sank to his knees.

“Mikleo!” Sorey screamed, but there was no reply. He stared blankly at the alleyway, gritting his teeth as he pounded the ground over and over with his clenched fists. They had been so close, and yet in the end it hadn’t been enough. Mikleo was gone again, and just like the first time, he had been powerless to do anything about it. Overcome with exhaustion, he stayed on the ground for a long time, small sobs escaping from him. He was vaguely aware of Lailah, who had joined him at some point, speaking whispered apologies and soothing words as her hand rubbed his back.

Just then a faint chime sounded not too far from where they were crouched, both of their heads snapping up when they heard the noise. Peeking out from behind one of the buildings was a small ferret, a red ribbon in its mouth as it limped towards the pair.

“Luzrov!” Sorey cried, pushing himself to his feet as he ran forward. He scooped the ferret into his arms, burying his cheek into Luzrov’s fur. It gave a small lick to Sorey’s face, giving out a soft whine before nestling in his arms.

“I’m so glad we found you,” he murmured, scratching Luzrov behind its ears. “You really had me worried, you know?”

Luzrov crooned, Sorey frowning when the AI slumped over his arm, feeling the way it shook under his touch.

“Hey, are you okay? What’s wrong?” he urged, shifting his hold so Luzrov was more comfortable. It didn’t respond, its eyes remaining closed as it whined again.

“Lailah, I think Luzrov might be hurt,” Sorey said anxiously.

She immediately jogged over, gently touching the top of Luzrov’s head. Her hand glowed in a faint red light as it travelled down the length of its body. It let out a quiet cry, earning a muttered apology from Lailah before she let the light of her scan fade.

< It feels a little warm, which could be a sign of overworking itself, > she explained, lightly stroking its head. < There’s also a bit of lag, hence why it seems more sluggish than usual. >

“Will it be okay?” Sorey asked, looking worriedly at the AI in his arms.

< To be safe, I think it’s best that we go back to the archives. But Luzrov should be fine after some rest. >

“Alright, I’ll let Atakk know that we found Luzrov.”

Lailah nodded, holding out her arms to accept the ferret. Jostling Luzrov lightly, it crooned quietly, blinking slowly at him. He leaned down to nuzzle it close again before handing it off to Lailah.

“I’ll come visit when you’re feeling better, okay?” he said, gently scratching it under its chin.

Luzrov did its best to chirp, although the sound came out a little strained. It crooned, leaning forward as it motioned towards Sorey, his ribbon still in its mouth. He chuckled lightly, taking the ribbon from it with a head pat.

“Yes, I promise we’ll play next time. Now get some rest, you’ve had a long day.”

He proceeded to retie the ribbon around his collar, looking to Lailah whose gaze was set on him. She appeared worried, maybe even apologetic as she regarded him.

< Sorey… will you be okay? > she began, glancing at the deserted alleyway behind him. Sorey swallowed, reminded of what they had been doing before finding Luzrov. He sighed, turning slightly so he was following her line of sight.

“Mikleo is still out there somewhere,” he murmured. “But just having that knowledge, it’s more than enough. Somehow, I know that we’ll find him again soon.”

< I’m glad, > Lailah smiled, and even Luzrov let out a small chirp of acknowledgement. < I’m… very much looking forward to being able to meet him. >

Bidding farewell to Sorey, she and Luzrov returned to the archive level, leaving him alone in the deserted alleyway. Opening his navigational map, he was met once again with an empty view, the only icons being those belonging to other users and NPCs. He held his breath, half-expecting to see the stylised bow and arrow flickering on his screen. But there was nothing, as he stared blankly at his own icon alone in the alleyway. Sighing, he closed his map and started on the way home. He had a lot of explaining to do to Atakk. But he knew what he had seen.

Mikleo was alive. He was okay, despite Sorey’s daily visits to the medical bay convincing him otherwise. And he had made a promise to find him and bring him home. Until that promise was fulfilled, he had no intention of giving up on him.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for all of the love and support for Deep Dive AU already. It's thanks to you guys that I'm able to keep writing for it, and I hope you will see the story to its very end. Feel free to come talk to me about it more on social media. I would love to hear from you. ♡
> 
> Twitter: @amagiyas  
> Tumblr: skyress


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